I’m writing this blog post because lately, we’ve been working with a few older ladies…and we love it.
Honestly, it’s something I never thought I’d enjoy. As a 37-year-old, “never say die” kind of male, I always pictured myself working with athletes chasing performance, PBs, and big goals. But over time, maybe it’s age, perhaps it’s wisdom? I’ve come to realise something important.
As much as the young are our future on this planet, so are those who are older and ready to make a change.
So if that’s you? if you’re in your 50s or beyond and wondering if it’s too late or too hard—this blog post is for you.
There is Still Plenty of Life to Live
Hitting your 50s doesn’t mean slowing down. In many ways, it’s the decade where your choices around health, movement, and strength matter more than ever.
There’s still plenty of life ahead. Fifteen more years until you can access your super? Maybe more years of work ahead too. And let’s be honest, by then, your kids might have kids, and suddenly you’re chasing grandkids around the backyard.
What you do now sets the tone for the decades ahead. While we can’t control everything that comes with ageing, we can control how well we’re prepared for it.
So here are the reasons you should start exercising or be exercising…
1. Osteoporosis and the Cost of Doing Nothing
From your mid-30s, bone density starts to decline, and that’s in both men and women. By 50, especially for women, that loss accelerates, putting you at real risk of osteoporosis and fractures from things that used to be no big deal.
I remember my Pop. He was active but never lifted weights, fracturing his shoulder in his 70s and never quite recovering. It changed him. It stopped him from doing a lot of things for a long time, and you could see it became debilitating for him over the next 20 years!
Weight training helps keep your bones strong. Movements like squats, presses, and deadlifts load the body in ways that signal to your bones, “stay strong, stay dense.” It’s one of the simplest, most effective ways to protect yourself from the things that can take you out unexpectedly.
And it builds trust in your body. If you do fall, you know you’ve got the strength—and the bone density—to get back up without a significant setback.
2. Mobility, Strength, and Long-Term Independence
One of the most powerful reasons to train in your 50s is maintaining independence.
Mobility and strength aren’t just nice to have. They’re the foundation for living life on your terms.
Being able to lift, carry, bend, walk, and move confidently means you’re more likely to stay out of hospitals, avoid injury, and keep doing the things you love. Travelling, playing with grandkids, gardening, even just getting up off the floor with ease.
You don’t want to hand over your independence to age. And you don’t have to.
3. Mental Health and Staying Sharp
Mental health also shifts as we age, but it doesn’t have to decline.
Exercise has been proven to improve brain function, lower the risk of depression, and keep the mind sharp well into later life.
Movement increases blood flow to the brain, improves sleep, and helps you stay more emotionally steady and focused.
And if you need one more reason… regular exercise has been shown to slow the progression of dementia. That alone makes it worth showing up for.
4. Menopause and Hormonal Shifts
Menopause brings change. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s not. Fatigue, poor sleep, weight gain, mood swings, and muscle loss are all part of the landscape.
But resistance training and regular aerobic exercise make a real difference. They support hormonal balance, keep your metabolism working, and ease the physical and emotional challenges of this phase of life.
In my previous blog post, “What I’ve Learned About Menopause as a 38-Year-Old Male”, I spoke more about this, but it’s worth repeating: lifting weights can change the way you move through this season of life.
Starting is often the most challenging part.
It’s normal to feel hesitant. Whether it’s fear of injury, doubt, or just not knowing where to begin, it’s all valid. But it’s also manageable. You don’t need to jump in at full pace. You need to start.
The right environment makes all the difference, somewhere that meets you where you’re at and walks beside you. Coaches who listen, adjust, and genuinely care about whether you succeed.
At Vasse Strength and Conditioning, we work with people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s every day of the week. Younger ones to. A wide variety of individuals, to be honest, and we love it.
We don’t offer cookie-cutter programs. We offer coaching. Support. Connection. And training that makes sense for you.
If you’re ready to make this part of your life better, not just for now, but for what’s ahead, we’re prepared for you.
We’re here to help you become stronger, more capable, and more confident than you thought possible.
We all wish more people stayed active in their later years, so never think you’re not welcome. You are.
Giving a world-class fitness experience every time is our goal. You’re already a part of that.
So get up. Get after it.
Become extraordinary.